Birthday tulips

Mandy and Mike threw a big party for a big birthday and Mandy decorated the tables with single tulips in small glass jars and bottles.

After the party I was the lucky recipient of some of the tulips. They look so pretty on my dining room table.

New vests

I have knitted each of the boys a little vest. On the right is Little O and as you can see his vest is rather short and doesn't hide his nappy. So when I knitted one for Little J, I made it much longer and he manages to retain his dignity. The yarn I used was by Rowan and is called Cotton Glace.  I think the pattern came from a Rowan book, but I cannot be certain as it is a photocopy and was given to me a few years ago.  I think they look very cute.

They will have their first birthday this weekend.  Where did that time go??

Garlands

The grey and yellow quilt is finished. I wish I could say this was my own design but it is not. The pattern came from this book and the quilt is called "Garlands". It is pieced in an improvisational style and all the blocks are slightly different. This is so that the garlands appear to be swaying in the breeze.

I have re-named my quilt 'Birthday Garlands' as I am giving it to Mandy for her birthday - slightly late, but better late than never. I tried a new method for the binding and added a very tiny highlight of yellow piping.

It is quilted using freemotion quilting (not my strong point) in what is loosely called (by me) a lightning bolt pattern. Don't look too closely. When Mandy and Mike are tired of looking at the front, they can turn the quilt over and have a look at the back. Two for the price of one!

Behind bars

John and I have spent the afternoon in prison. Happily it was our choice to be behind bars and not because of any wrongdoing on our part. I have been wanting to visit the old Fremantle Prison for some time and, as it was a beautiful Autumn afternoon, it seemed to be too good to spend the afternoon indoors. My yellow and grey quilt was calling me, but so was the yellow sunshine and it was the latter which called the loudest. Besides, I spent most of yesterday working on the quilt and I am now up to the binding so thought a break was called for.

The prison was built by convicts in 1850 and was used as a place of punishment for over 130 years. It is incredible to think that people were living in these conditions as late as 1991.
 

The Prison is Perth's only World Heritage listed site and I suspect that its frontage now presents a much more welcoming picture than it did when it was being used as a prison.

Although the old limestone buildings are impressive, they are also rather forbidding.

After our taste of incarceration we celebrated our freedom by visiting a new beachside restaurant for a coffee. In the words of the Perth restaurant reviewer who wrote about this place over the weekend, we felt we were "livin' the dream", something the inmates of Fremantle Prison were definitely not doing.

 

Sneak peek

I am really excited about this quilt.  I love the colour combination and it is coming together quickly and easily.

The quilt top is almost finished so I am off the shop to buy some fabric for the backing.

Repurposed table

 

This little folding table has been sitting in the garage for years without a job to do.

 

While wandering through blogland recently I came across a wonderful use for my table and turned it into an ironing board.  Some wadding, a piece of fabric and a staple gun is all that is required.

 

 

Now it sits happily next to my sewing machine and when I want to press something all I have to do is swivel in my chair and the iron is at my fingertips.  Saves having to get up everytime (I must be getting lazy).

 

A perfect match

Two new projects - completely unrelated to each other, yet coordinating beautifully.   I have been collecting grey and yellow fabrics to make a new quilt and yesterday I bought this lovely cotton yarn to make a vest for one of the twins.  I  made this vest for Little C when he was a baby which is still in great condition.  However, I love the feel and colours of this new yarn and might even make two if it knits up well.

 

The quilt is very much in the gestation stage.  I am not sure what design it will be and am hoping for inspiration to strike soon so that I can make a start. 



I love new projects.